Positive pressure lid for dialyzer apparatus

Claim 2

A cover for dialyzer apparatus having a dialysate chamber through which dialyzing fluid is circulated continuously thereby to be in contact over a surface within said chamber of a blood compartment adapted to confine a blood stream and formed by a membrane providing a semipermeable interface between said dialyzing fluid and blood through which because of a concentration gradient unwanted organic and inorganic substances diffuse from the blood into said dialyzing fluid, said cover comprising a body portion, said body portion including a dishshaped member and a annular member, means on said body portion adapting said cover for receipt on said apparatus thereby to isolate said chamber from ambient conditions, means including a plurality of substantially radially disposed grooves in an upper surface of said annular member juxtaposed to said dish-shaped member when said members are received together for permitting unrestricted access of at least an inlet and an outlet tube into said chamber thereby to connect said blood compartment in an extracorPoreal fluid system, means carried by one of said members to provide a seal therebetween, port means including a plurality of passages formed within said body providing a port through which said dialyzing fluid is passed, and means cooperable with said port means for varying through rotational adjustment the effective port area to adjust the volume of flow of dialyzing fluid through said port means thereby to vary dialysate chamber pressure and the transmembrane pressure gradient.

Claim 3

The cover of claim 1 wherein said passages are of varying cross-sectional diameter.

Claim 4

The cover of claim 1 comprising a shield over the end of said port means to prevent splashing of said dialyzing fluid exiting said port means.

Claim 5

The cover of claim 3 comprising a post, said post extending through said shield and said body and mounted for rotary movement, and said adjustable means comprising a plate carried by one end of said post and movable with said post thereby to adjust said volume of flow.

Claim 6

The cover of claim 4 wherein said cooperable means includes a flat plate mounted for rotation substantially in a plate including entrance to said port means thereby through movement to adjust the effective opening of the same, and means supported by said cover for moving said plate.

Claim 7

The cover of claim 1 including means carried by one of said apparatus and body to provide a fluid seal between said body and apparatus when received.

Claim 8

The cover of claim 6 wherein said sealing means is an O-ring.

Claim 9

The cover of claim 1 including means on said body adapted to mount a gauge to monitor chamber pressure.

Claim 10

A cover for dialyzer apparatus having a dialysate chamber through which dialyzing fluid is circulated continuously thereby to be in contact over a surface within said chamber of a blood compartment adapted to confine a blood stream and formed by a membrane providing a semipermeable interface between said dialyzing fluid and blood through which because of a concentration gradient unwanted organic and inorganic substances diffuse from the blood into said dialyzing fluid, said cover comprising a body portion, said body portion being provided with a peripheral cutout of substantially trapezoidal shape and having a lower shoulder means for permitting access of at least an inlet and an outlet tube into said chamber thereby to connect said blood compartment in an extracorporeal fluid system, said means including a guide block, said guide block having a plurality of substantially longitudinally disposed grooves for cooperating with a like plurality of grooves formed in said shoulder thereby to define a substantially circular opening through which said tubes are unrestrictedly received, means on said body portion adapting said cover for receipt on said apparatus thereby to isolate said chamber from ambient conditions, port means including a plurality of passages formed within said body providing a port through which said dialyzing fluid is passed, and means cooperable with said port means for varying through rotational adjustment the effective port area to adjust the volume of flow of dialyzing fluid through said port means thereby to vary dialysate chamber pressure and the transmembrane pressure gradient.

Claim 11

A cover for dialyzer apparatus having a dialysate chamber through which dialyzing fluid is circulated continuously thereby to be in contact over a surface within said chamber of a blood compartment adapted to confine a blood stream and formed by a membrane providing a semipermeable interface between said dialyzing fluid and blood through which because of a concentration gradient unwanted organic and inorganic substances diffuse from the blood into said dialyzing fluid, said cover comprising a body portion, said body portion being provided with a peripheral cutout of substantially trapezoidal shape and having a lower shoulder means for permitting access of at least an inlet and an outlet tube into said chamber thereby to connect said blood compartment in an extracorporeal fluid system, said means including a guide block, said guide block having a plurality of substantially longitudinally disposed grooves for cooperating with a like plurality of grooves formed in said shoulder thereby to define a substantially circular opening through which said tubes are unrestrictedly received, means on said body portion adapting said cover for receipt on said apparatus thereby to isolate said chamber from ambient conditions, port means including a plurality of passages formed within said body providing a port through which said dialyzing fluid is passed, and means cooperable with said port means for varying through rotational adjustment the effective port area to adjust the volume of flow of dialyzing fluid through said port means thereby to vary dialysate chamber pressure and the transmembrane pressure gradient.

Claim 12

The cover of claim 9, wherein one of said plurality of passages is defined by a longitudinal substantially cylindrical opening through said body and a second of said plurality of passages being defined by a transverse communicating bore.

Claim 13

The cover of claim 10 wherein said adjustable means comprises a substantially cylindrical cup-shaped element received for rotation within said opening, said cup-shaped element having an opening within one wall of a size substantially equal to the size of said transverse bore, and means in said cover for rotating said element to vary the effective port opening.

Claim 14

The cover of claim 11 including means to maintain the vertical longitudinal disposition of said cup-shaped element yet permit rotation of said element within said openiNg.

Claim 15

The cover of claim 9 comprising hinge means allowing movement of said guide block between a normal lowered position within said peripheral cutout to a raised position at which through pivotal movement out of said peripheral cutout said tubes may be received by said guide block grooves whereupon said guide block is redisposed in the normal position at which said tubes are positioned within said circular openings.

Claim 16

The cover of claim 9 comprising a shield over the end of said port means to prevent splashing of said dialyzing fluid exiting said port means.

Claim 17

The cover of claim 9 including means carried by one of said apparatus and body to provide a fluid seal between said body and apparatus when received on the latter.

Claim 18

The cover of claim 9 including means on said body adapted to mount a gauge to monitor chamber pressure.